Dust mop washing machine



Dec. 18, 1962 G. w. ATHERTON 3,068,678

DUST MOP WASH ING MACHINE Filed Jan. 24, 1961 2 SheetsSheet 1 FIG. 2.

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DUST MOP WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofilice Bfiddfiig Patented Dec. 18, 1962 3,963,678 DUST MOP WASHHNG MAQHINE Gerald W. Athenian, Box 61, Maize, Kane. Filed Ian. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 84,563 6 Claims. (Ci. 68-148) This invention relates to a novel dust mop washing machine, especially but not exclusively, for the elongated type used in building maintenance.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a simple, efficient, and inexpensive device of the kind indicated, which is preferably motor driven, and wherein a dust mop is suspended in a cleaning solution in a tank, with its strands in pendant position, and is reciprocated endwise in the solution, in a manner to preclude the tangling and knotting of strands which is usually incidental to the use of other mop washing means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above which is provided, within its tank and on a level below the pendant strands of a dust mop, with cleaning solution directing vanes which serve to agitate and direct the solution upwardly to the brush strands, as the brush is reciprocated endwise, whereby dirt is loosened from the strands and the strands are more quickly and thoroughly cleaned.

Other important object and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of said device;

FIGURE 3 is a left-hand end elevation thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a right-hand end elevation thereof;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4, showing, in phantom lines, a dust mop suspended in the device; and

FEGURE 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated machine comprises a horizontally and longitudinally elongated rectangular open-top tank ill), having a bottom wall 12, sidewalls l4, and first and second end walls 16 and 18, respectively. The tank 1% is supported by angle-iron legs 20, which extend downwardly along and below the corners of the tank. At opposite sides of the tank diagonal brace bars 22 extend between legs 26, at points below the tank, along the outer sides of the sidewalls 14, to the top of the tank. The bottom wall 12 of the tank ill is transversely and uniformly curved, and its concave surface 23 faces upwardly, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6.

A horizontal longitudinally enlongated flat reciprocating plate 24, which is longer than the tank 10, extends through horizontal, transversely elongated slots 26 and 28, formed in upper portions of the tank end walls 16 and 13, respectively, the slots being larger, in vertical cross section than the plate 24, so that the plate can move freely through the slots without contacting the upper and lower edges of the slots, while being guided by the ends of the slots. Resilient gaskets 30 and 32 are secured to the inner surfaces of the tank end walls 16 and 18, respectively, and have therein slots 34 which are slightly smaller in cross section than and receive the plate 24 snugly, whereby leakage of cleaning solution from the tank, through the end wall slots is prevented.

The reciprocating plate 24 has first and second ends 36 and 38 which extend outwardly beyond the end walls 16 and 13, respectively, and are supported upon transverse horizontal rollers 4i and 42, respectively. The roller 4% is journalled upon and between angle brackets 44 affixed to the outer side of the end wall 16, below its slot 26. The roller 42 is journalled on and extends between the horizontal members 46 of a pair of larger angle brackets 48 which are affixed to the outer side of the tank end wall 18, below its slot 28.

A transverse crankshaft St is journalled, at its ends, in bearing blocks 52 fixed upon the upper surfaces of the horizontal bracket members 46, at locations spaced outwardly from the roller 42, and has a central throw 54. A connecting rod 56 is pivoted, at one end on the throw 54, and, at its other end, on a pin 58 which extends across a notch 6% in the related end of the carrier plate 24-. The crankshaft 50 has a large diameter pulley 62 on one end, over which is trained an endless belt 64 which is trained around a pulley 66 on the shaft of a suitable motor, such as an electric motor 68, which is suitably secured to a mounting plate 70 which is afiixed to the outer sides of and extends between legs 20 at the related end of the tank.

A dust mop carrier plate 72, shorter and narrower than the reciprocating plate 24, is spaced beneath and centered relative to the plate 24, and is supportably connected to the plate 24 by means of longitudinally spaced vertical shafts, here shown as two bolts 74, which have shanks 76 with threaded upper ends 78 engaged through holes 80 in the plate 2 5, on which nuts 82 are threaded against the upper surface of the plate 24. The bolt shanks 75 have smooth lower portions 84 which extend through holes 86, provided in the carrier plate 72, and have heads 88, on their lower ends, which bear against the underside of the carrier plate 72. The carrier plate 72 is then free to move upwardly and downwardly relative to the reciprocating plate, on the bolt shanks 76. Upward movement of the carrier plate 72 toward the reciprocating plate 24 is restrained by coil springs which are circurnposed on the bolt shanks and are compressed between the two plates.

An elongated flexible dust mop head hi. extends beneath and is secured to the carrier plate 72, by any suitable means, preferably the strings @4 already present on some mop heads, the strings 94 being brought around the edges of the plate '72 and tied together thereabove. In this arrangement, the strands of the mop head hang freely in the cleaning solution (not shown) in the tank ill), with their lower ends 98 spaced above and centered with respect to the concave up er surface 23 of the tank bottom wall '12, as shown in FIGURE 6, and the strands 96 are free to swing back and forth, longitudinally and laterally of the tank.

Reclining U-shaped brackets 13% have vertically and laterally outwardly curved bight portions 1432 located at one side of the reciprocating plate 24, and upper and lower legs lllld and 1%, respectively. The brackets 1%, here shown as being two brackets, are spaced along the reciprocating plate 24 and equally from the ends of the carrier plate 72, and their upper legs 1% are suitably secured upon the upper surface of the plate 24, as indicated at 108. The lower bracket regs 196 are placed beneath the carrier plate 72, at an elevation between and spaced from the tank bottom wall 12 and the lower ends 93 of the mop head strands 96. Flat agitator vanes 11% are centrally fixed on the lower bracket legs tea, and are angled out of the horizontal, as toward the tank end wall 16.

In operation, operation of the motor 68 produces endwise reciprocation of the reciprocating plate 24, and hence of the carrier plate '72, and the mop head 92, so that the mop head is moved in opposite directions through the cleaning solution in the tank 19, and the cleaning solution separates and swishes through the strands 96 of the mop head. As the mop head 92 is thus moved along the tank, some of the cleaning solution is pulled along therewith and strikes the agitator vanes lltl, whereby the solution is agitated and caused to strike the lower ends 98 of and separate the strands 96. As a result dirt present on and between the strands 96 is removed therefrom and falls to the bottom wall of the tank 10. A drain cock 112 is provided at a central part of the tank bottom wall, and provides for convenient draining of used cleaning solution and dirt cleaned out of the mop head. The limited upward and downward movement of the carrier plate 72, relative to the reciprocating plate 24, the agitator vanes 110, and the tank bottom wall 12, which is produced by agitation of the cleaning solution, increases the separation of the mop head strands 96 and effective contact of cleaning solution therewith.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning machine comprising a horizontal tank for cleaning solution, a reciprocating member mounted on and reciprocable endwise within the tank, an article carrier connected to and extending along and spaced below the reciprocating member, means for reciprocating the reciprocating member, and means for securing an article to the carrier at the underside of the carrier, said tank having end walls and a bottom wall, said reciprocating member being located on a level near the top of the tank,

said end walls having slots through which related ends of the reciprocating member reach, and rollers mounted on the tank end walls on which ends of the reciprocating member are supported.

2. A dust mop head cleaning machine comprising an elongated horizontal tank for cleaning solution, a longitudinally elongated reciprocating plate mounted on and reciprocable endwise within the tank, a longitudinally elongated mop head carrier plate connected to and spaced beneath the reciprocating plate, and means for reciprocating the reciprocating plate, and means for securing a mop head to the carrier plate at the underside of the carrier plate, said tank having end Walls and a bottom wall, said reciprocating plate being located on a level near the top of the tank, said end walls having slots through which related ends of the reciprocating plate reach, and rollers mounted on brackets afiixed externally on the tank end walls on which ends of the reciprocating plate are supported, and yielding spring means urging the carrier plate downwardly away from the reciprocating plate.

3. A dust mop head cleaning machine comprising an elongated horizontal tank for cleaning solution, a longitudinally elongated reciprocating plate mounted on and reciprocable endwise within the tank, a longitudinally elongated mop head carrier plate connected to and spaced beneath the reciprocating plate, and means for reciprocating' the reciprocating plate, and means for securing a mop head to the carrier plate at the underside of the carrier plate, said tank having end walls and a bottom wall, said reciprocating plate being located on a level near the top of the tank, said end walls having slots through which related ends of the reciprocating plate reach, and rollers mounted on brackets affixed externally on the tank end walls on which ends of the reciprocating plate are supported, vertical bolts secured to the reciprocating plate and extending downwardly therefrom, said carrier plate having holes fieely receiving said bolts, and coil springs circumposed on the bolts and compressed between the reciprocating plate and the carrier plate.

4. A dust mop head cleaning machine comprising an elongated horizontal tank for cleaning solution, a longitudinally elongated reciprocating plate mounted on and reciprocable endwise within the tank, a longitudinally elongated mop head carrier plate connected to and spaced beneath the reciprocating plate, and means for reciprocating the reciprocating plate, and means for securing a mop head to the carrier plate at the underside of the carrier plate, said tank having end walls and a bottom wall, said reciprocating plate being located on a level near the top of the tank, said end walls having slots through which related ends of the reciprocating plate reach, and rollers mounted on brackets afiixed externally on the tank end walls on which ends of the, reciprocating plate are supported, vertical bolts secured to the reciprocating plate and extending downwardly therefrom, said carrier plate having holes freely receiving said bolts, and coil springs circumposed on the bolts. and compressed between the reciprocating plate. and the carrier plate, brackets fixed to the reciprocating plate and extending downwardly therefrom at one side of and laterally spaced from said carrier plate, and angle agitator vanes fixed on the brackets and spaced between the carrier plate and the tank bottomwall.

5. A dust mop head cleaning machine comprising an elongated horizontal tank for cleaning solution, a longitudinally elongated reciprocating plate mounted on and reciprocable endwise within the tank, a longitudinally elongated mop head carrier plate connected to and spaced beneath the reciprocating plate, and means for reciproeating the reciprocating plate, and means for securing a mop head to the carrier plate at the underside of the carrier plate, said tank having end walls and a bottom wall, said reciprocating plate being located on a level near the top of the tank, said end walls having slots through which related ends of the reciprocating plate reach, and rollers mounted on brackets affixed externally on the tank end walls on which ends of the reciprocating plate are supported, vertical bolts secured to the reciprocating plate and extending downwardly therefrom, said carrier plate having holes freely receiving said bolts, and coil springs circumposed on the bolts and compressed between the reciprocating plate and the carrier plate, brackets fixed to the reciprocating plate and extending downwardly therefrom at one side of and laterally spaced from said carrier plate, and angle agitator vanes fixed on the brackets and spaced between the carrier plate and the tank bottom wall, said bottom wall having a transversely curved concave upper surface relative to which the reciprocating plate, the carrier plate, and said vanes are centered.

6. A dust mop head cleaning machine comprising a tank for cleaning solution, a horizontal reciprocating member within and mounted on the tank for endwise reciprocation, an article carrier positioned below and extending along said reciprocating member, means connecting the carrier to the reciprocating member for vertical movements relative to the reciprocating member, spring means yieldably urging the carrier downwardly relative to the reciprocating member, and means for reciprocating said member endwise relative to the tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 87,013 Todd Feb. 16, 1869 931,332 Nickerson Aug. 17, 1909 1,389,627 Clarenbach Sept. 6, 192.1 

